All About Me

House Woes III

2006-11-28T23:38:00.000Z

Internet connection on PC died a slow sad lingering death.

So had to go contact internet site we purchased it from, to be told that warranty had run out. DH furious that they sell such inferior products with known defects (known as in forums are full of pple whinging about the lousy product from a fairly reputable brand).

We then had to pursue the manufacturers themselves. Luckily it was under warranty but we were put through quite a few hoops first (run a series of tests to see if it works on another PC or laptop, which anyone with common sense would have done prior to calling them) mostly to expensive telephone numbers.

Anyhow, we finally convinced them that it was indeed faulty (the wireless card) simply stopped one day after cutting out with increasing frequency. We were given a code/reference number that enabled us to return the product. Yay!

Sent out the entire boxed product only to receive a padded envelop with only the wireless card
and CD back. What happened to my nice box??

House Woes II

2006-11-27T10:43:00.000Z

Our boiler started making rather stuttering metallic noises. We panic, turn it off, freeze and turn it back on about 12 hours later. Peace and quiet. Warmth begins to permeate the house again and we begin to shed our layers of clothing. Of course, this lasts only 8 hours before the racket begins again. We begin to sleep in shifts so that we don't miss the rattling and risk damaging our boiler further.

Calls to British Homecare follow - they are responsive and the first engineer is at our place within 48 hours. Needless to say, Sods Law was at work and it was working perfectly when he turned up. He was kind enough to give us his mobile number in the event it acted up again and he was in the area he would pop round again. Now that is service.

A few hours later, we rung but he was out of our area. So we made an appointment for another engineer to visit.

To cut a long story short, it finally took 6 visits (and 4 weeks later) by 3 different engineers before the faulty circuit board was diagnosed, part ordered and replaced.

Oh, it wasn't just the heating but affected the hot water as well. Cold showers in Winter - not recommended.

House woes I

2006-11-26T00:14:00.000Z

You may have noticed a marked lack of activity on this blog for the past few months....let me tell you the tale of my household woes.

First our flat top 3*3 m roof in the extension started leaking water, then major chunks of the plasterboard fell away and DH started moaning about how much work it would take to replace/repair it. However, he did take the project of finding reputable builders/roofers onboard. Note, the project involved calling around, getting them in to give a quote and get a shortlist done, references, etc.

Did not require DH to physically replace said rood himself ;-)

Basically I would have to eat all the food I had stockpiled (noodles, rice, etc.) there as well as empty the freezer of similarly stockpiled meat.

Now if you know me even in the slightest, you will know that I like having a surplus of foodstuff in my (non-existent) larder. Will post next about my thoughts post-Katrina.

Anyway, back to the leaking roof. 6 weeks later.....no action had been taken other than a big bucket placed under the offending leak.

Granted we had a whole heap of other problems occuring around the same time, but 6 weeks is a long time to have to empty the bucket of water each time it rained heavily (whilst sloshing through the overflow to do so).

Took action into one's own hands. Who would have known the number of different types of roofs there are and the no. of charlatans out there! Even those listed on a trade association website... I think that I must have called/emailed 20 roofers. We have about 8 different quotes. Well, the husband insisted on 3 quotes and since 2 of those were for some fibre-glass material (£1300 + VAT) which were summarily dismissed due to the disparity in price.

Of course at the time that it was a rather ludicrous price to pay for replacing a felt-top roof. I mean what in the world is a felt-top anyway??!!!

Knowing next to nothing about DIY (hey, I've always been a city gal) or roof replacements, I sought out online forums to ask if £1300 was a reasonable amount to pay for a roof replacement. Some of the comments/feedback were less than complimentary about my lack of commonsense....

Well, you will be glad to know that the roof is no longer leaking but has not been repaired or replaced. So how did I do it? Read on.....

Suicide by public transport

2006-09-28T11:26:00.000Z

I am in full rant mode today...

Have you ever wondered why people choose to kill themselves by throwing themselves under a train? Actually, have you wondered why they choose to do so during peak hour??!!
It is almost as if they want to drive the rest of us to do the same....

There were 3 such peak hour incidents in London week ending 15th Sept. 2 tube, 1 rail.
Thousands stuck on tube trains, Paddington station closed - thousands having hours added to their journey home after a hard days work.

I mean if they did it at 3pm or 2am even, they would accomplish their goal but without the resulting travel chaos and inconvenience to the rest of us.

Perhaps it is time we studied this phenomenon further. It appears to be happening with increasing frequency - why why why is my question. If we study it, perhaps we can put measures in place to prevent it and the resulting impact on those left behind.

I don't mean study depression and suicides in general. I think we should study specifically why people choose peak hour to kill themselves in such a public manner. Of course collecting accurate data from the source could be a bit difficult...

September breakup blues

2006-09-27T11:19:00.000Z

Sept is a bad month for relationships, if anecdotes from friends is anything to go by.

Here is the list:
2 girlfriends have found new boyfriends only to be told that the guys had to go on pre-booked holidays shortly after. Then no word from them and no word from them.

Another 2 breakups reported in the past week and that is just those I know of personally.

Hearsay - 4 more breakups reported.

How about you? How many relationship breakups have you heard of in the past fortnight?

Union Recruitment Failure II

2006-09-26T11:10:00.000Z

One other thing - perhaps they should train up their switchboard operators to actually deliver customer service instead of just spoutting policy at you. It has been rather difficult to get anyone that actually represents IT professionals...unless you work in a callcentre or financial institution.

Is it the nature of the IT industry that the practices of software companies has gone undetected for so long?

No wonder there have been no public protests about software outsourcing overseas.

Which leads one to question: do white collar workers deserve less protection than blue collar workers?

Bullying happens everywhere at all levels and society/unions, etc. need to be aware of this.
Workers' needs appear to have moved from better/equal pay, sexual/racial discrimination to bullying and workplace abuse. As evidenced by recent awards for bullying by the courts.

I urge unions to adapt and survive.

Union Recruitment Failure

2006-09-25T10:48:00.000Z

Now I understand why unions in this country are failing both in recruitment of new members and their political standing....

This is a classic example of not meeting customer/potential customer's needs. Bad marketing and bad business.

Here is the story of me trying to find a union for DH to join....more on that later - but if you have ever been bullied/discriminated against at work, we are now 'experts' at this. Hence the long silence from the blog, we have been too bogged down to blog!

OK here goes my rant:

Hmmm....if I were in trouble, I would think about seeking help from a body that has experience dealing with these matters - ie. a union. Now never having been in trouble, it would not occur to me to join a union. What with their public image of militancy and association with train strikes.

So when the situation arises that one needs the help of the union - the response one gets is rather incredulous.

''We are unable to assist with any matters pre-dating the membership application''.

From a purely marketing point of view - isn't that why people join a union?

From a business point of view - their rationale is that legal representation costs money so you have a be a member for more than 6 months before you can benefit. Now, since in the course of one's career, one does not expect to be bullied, harrased or discriminated, thus joining a union would not even cross one's mind...doesn't this mean that those who do join unions are more likely to seek legal representation thus use union resources? Self-selection policy it seems to me.

Now, if they introduced a higher joining/membership fee for people with existing issues who would now like to be part of a union, wouldn't that solve that particular problem and increase their members, thus their clout and coffers?

Furthermore, that new member who had been helped would feel compelled to spread the word about benefits of union membership. Thus increasing membership coffers even further. In fact, it could lead to a class action as it is rare for a company management to mistreat just one staff member.

The Goat or Who is Sylvia?

2006-08-11T20:03:00.000Z

At lunch today, I had a fond memory of a most interesting play, The Goat or Who is Sylvia that I caught in New York about 4 years ago. There I also got to meet Bill Pullman (male lead) and Edward Albee - award winning playwright of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? This was his new play in a while.

The play came to the West End shortly after....but, back to my encounter - you see I really wanted to know (still do!) how the couple ended up. The lights went out & curtains came down just at the most crucial moment. A Q&A with the playwright followed but my question remained unanswered - largely because I didn't want to appear gauche in front of all these intellectuals asking all these esoteric questions about structure, form and etc.

So dashed out after the session ended and ambushed Edward Albee whilst he was getting into his limo. Poor guy probably thought I was after his autograph but I really just wanted to know what was on his mind - do they resolve things or not?!!

Won't spoil the play for you by revealing too much about the bone of contention although I may have already by revealing that there is no conclusion as such.

''Ah, who's to know?'' was his enigmatic reply.

So I decided to try the male lead - how did he feel the moment the lights cut out, would he accept what she had done? Bill Pullman was both illuminating and infuriating ;-) Different nights/performances, arouse different feelings and different thoughts at that particular juncture.

Talk about a play that has the power to make you think and reminisce even after 4 years.

Do you have a favourite play?

Plays, Musicals or TV ;-)

2006-08-10T18:59:00.000Z

I love plays. Especially those that make you think. Art, Lifex3, Blue/Orange, The Goat or Who is Sylvia are a couple that spring to mind.

When I first came to London, I lived in a place with no television...so I caught a lot of theatre. Now back then I thought I was only going to be here a short-time (afterall I was dying to get to the Continent and start my backpacking adventures) so saw as much as I could. I think I must have seen about 18 plays/musicals in a 3 week period. Probably would have been cheaper to have bought a TV!

London - theatre heaven (although in recent years they seem to be relying more on Hollywood star power to draw in the crowd than well-written/acted plays)! Well, compared to Australia at least where in Sydney - you may get a new production in Theatre Royal once every 2 years? I remember the Phantom of the Opera played for the longest time. Of course in the 6 years since I have been away, I hear that more theatre spaces have sprung up in the meantime.

Still, much prefer plays to musicals. Musicals tend to be too syrupy and happy...Plays on the other hand (the good ones that is) actually make you think and stay with you much longer than little musical ditties. DH would probably interject at this point and accuse me of being a snob. Now, of course I have been disappointed by plays but not as often as I have been by musicals.

So what is your preference - Plays or Musicals?

Tracing family tree

2006-08-09T21:21:00.000Z

DH just doesn't understand why I am so enthralled with his family's history....

His dad can trace his family all the way back to the 1500s! There is even a museum in Switzerland with the entire tree with all the various branches. Apparently the Weiersmullers were the founding members of that town. There was even a 'family' reunion 10 years ago.

I am the very first Chinese Weiersmuller. Upon receipt of our marriage certificate, I will be added to this family tree and recorded for posterity in this museum in Suhr.

We were on Skype & just narrowing it down to Switzerland, we have made a connection with another random Weiersmuller who has the same great grandfather as DH!

DH is really very fortunate, as are all those of you with an easily traceable heritage. I don't think that there is an ancestry page for Chinese people - if I am wrong, please do write and let me know! I mean there must be like a few million Chens out there.

My mother's father was an only son whose father died when he was very young. I deeply regret not finding out more about his family when he was still with us. Plus he did leave China when he was young so unless I go back to the village where he was from, my hopes of basically finding the rest of that side of my family is pretty tricky.

Last year I sat my granny down and asked her to recall her childhood and family for me. Hmmm....not a particularly successful exercise. Her story is even more confusing. There was lots of cousins sent to live with them, uncles all over the place, etc. plus her memory of her childhood is tenuous at best. She does not seem to have much curiosity about connecting with the rest of her extended family...this could be because she has 10 kids of her own, last count about 18 grandchildren and she hopes one great-grandchild ;-) I tell her to hang on for about 3 more years when she will finally get her wish.

How about you? How far can you trace your family roots and do you have the same curiosity?

Summer Holidays

2006-08-07T19:47:00.001Z

Weird question - the UK is actually really very pleasant when the sun shines. So why do so many people go overseas for Summer hols?

I would rather take a month off to a nice sunny beach during the cold Winter period. I suppose those with families have to take advantage of the school holidays.

How about you? Do you prefer to take your annual holiday during Winter or Summer?

A favour, s'il vous plait

2006-08-06T02:02:00.000Z

Please can I count on you to help me meet a business goal?
My challenge is to gain 1000 new subscribers to the China’s Secret newsletter within one month.

Possible?? Help me attain this goal, by entering your email address here: www.chinasecret.co.uk/newsletter.php

That’s right, only your email & that will be kept strictly confidential.
You have my solemn promise not to sell, trade or give out any of your details to anyone, no matter how much they offer me.

In exchange you will receive (besides my undying gratitude):

Green tea is good for you, but what is it purported to do exactly? Signup now to find out & for other interesting titbits - www.chinasecret.co.uk/newsletter.php

Tell all your friends, family and colleagues too!

What is the world coming to?

2006-08-05T10:03:00.000Z

What is the world coming to when even Shaolin and other Buddhist monks have MBAs and access the Internet? Doesn't appear to leave them much time to meditate....
One of the monks says that ''they can meditate at lunchtime if they choose''.

Isn't that against the whole ethos of seclusion and other-worldliness? Maybe it is just me but I simply don't get it...

The monks apparently need these skills to help them run a hotel, restaurant and a tea business.

The monks develop computer programs so that you can send virtual offerings to virtual Buddhas.

They outsource all the cleaning now to freeup their time for other work...I'm thinking they should be outsourcing all these other operations in order to focus on humility, etc. that we associate with monks and Buddhism.

Perhaps I am just uncomfortable with the intrusion of capitalism into this arena of spirituality?

I just don't get it.

New TV discoveries

2006-08-03T18:44:00.000Z

Wow - you have to watch E-Ring on FX (in the UK). Starring Dennis Hopper and Benjamin Pratt (ex-Law & Order, ex-Julia Roberts).
Another brilliant production by Jerry Bruckheimer - he also produced my other favourites: CSI, Without a Trace & Cold Case!

Lots of patriotic soldier stuff but I like it! Full of human drama & suspense. They keep the tension wound tight right till the very last min. Unlike other shows where by 45 mins into the programme you know the ending.

Thanks to Nadine (again) I also caught Numb3rs on ITV3 last week. Makes mathematics rather sexy and shows applications in real world.
Perhaps if it was showing when I was in school, I would have not just learnt my trigonometry, calculas, algebra etc. by rote!

Started watching Medium as well but perhaps it is my Christian upbringing but can't quite seem to get into it.

Name & Shame TV stations

2006-08-02T18:13:00.000Z

Ever notice that during commercial breaks - the volume gets turned up LOUD?

2 channels that are particularly guilty of this - SKY, E4, Living, FX & Sci-fi.

This really does disrupt my multi-tasking as every 12 mins, I have to grab the remote to turn the vol. down (can't mute or we may miss some action when the programme restarts), then 5 mins later (most ads run for 5 mins except for Bravo channel) reach for the remote again to turn the vol. up again.

Does not foster customer goodwill and feeling towards that provider I can tell you that. It may please the advertisers but the viewer simply feels resentment and annoyance at this devious tactic.

Anyone else gets bugged by this?

Irritating Ads

2006-08-01T16:04:00.000Z

Most ads are rather benign, in fact most times I just channel surf when they come on, or ignore them altogether whilst plugging away on the laptop.

Must single out 3 TV ads that are really starting to annoy me -

Pipex - Any pipex broadband subscribers, switch users! Your hard earned fees are being used to pay Kris Kristofferson (Knight Rider and lately Baywatch fame/infamy) to tout their products. Very bad ad running almost every commercial break it seems

Most insurance ads - Churchill, Direct Line, Confused.com, etc. Do they have to be so unbearably cheesy and badly done? I mean if they have the dosh to by airtime, surely they can invest in proper ad production.
Only one half bearable - Sheila's Wheels. Although after the 500th time....

Crazy Frog ad - thank goodness that ad campaign has stopped.

How to reward myself

2006-07-29T08:43:00.000Z

This question has remained unanswered for quite some time now. I can't seem to think of suitable rewards for when I have completed a particularly arduous task or project.

How do you reward yourself?

Some rewards I have considered but discarded:

Massage - too expensive in the UK (I mean I can get a full-body treatment in a Korean bath in Sydney for £35! Why should I have to fork out £100 here?)
Ipod - too indulgent
New book - I already have a shelf full of books waiting to be read
Go to the Movies - nothing in particular I want to watch

Perhaps I am already so content I don't want anything else ;-)

For now, I have to bask in the glow of satisfaction of a job completed.

Do you use a system of rewards to help you stay focused and motivated? Would love to hear your experiences/thoughts.

Far flung friends

2006-07-27T09:26:00.000Z

I got up today really inspired to write to my close friends who are scattered the world over, mostly in Australia & Angie in Canada ;-)

Much as they are in my thoughts and heart, I don't think I write often enough for them to know this. With the time difference, it makes calling/skype-ing rather difficult to co-ordinate.
Writing a handwritten note always appeals to me but the lack of immediacy rather negates that feeling.
Sometimes they don't write coz they think there is nothing to report about their daily lives so I'm left wondering - just what are they doing and how they are faring.

Ironically, I keep in closer/better touch with such far-flung friends than those in London! We keep meaning to meet but hectic, disparate lives kinda take over. Keeping in touch by email seems silly when so close. Texting I have found seems to be the best medium of communicae, at least I hear back from them as opposed to emails ;-)

Although it does hearten me when we meet up to hear that they have been following my exploits (via the emails) with attention and glee. Just hadn't replied!

Another friend says that now that I'm blogging, things will become even more impersonal - I sure hope not!

Do you have the same experiences?

Another pet peeve

2006-07-26T22:07:00.000Z

I go absolutely bananas when I receive voice mails that ask me to call them back. My imagination goes into overdrive and I imagine the worst scenarios....

However, I have started to be more sympathetic - perhaps these people are uncomfortable talking to a machine? Hence the leaving of short uninformative messages?

If you are guilty of this, do write in and let me know why. If you have the same reaction as me, share that too!

Happy Day

2006-07-25T20:04:00.000Z

My first time winning anytime in a lottery/lucky draw.

I won a £50 voucher to shop in Selfridges! Finally, after a year of filling in London Voice surveys, my hard work (well I do like offering up my opinion!) has paid off. The irony is that the survey was so long I almost did not complete it. So imagine my surprise when I received notification that I won the very next day.

Let's see, in the past 4 years I have 'earned' about £40 payment in cheques, £36 in Boots vouchers, £48 in Amazon vouchers and $50 in American Express traveller's cheques.

Not bad but like DH says - in the time I have spent filling in online surveys, I could have made more money working ;-)

Does anyone else like giving their opinions away?

A Fan, A Fan - my kingdom for a Fan

2006-07-23T21:18:00.000Z

Let's take a vote: do you use an electric fan or air-conditioning unit to keep cool?

Now, I refuse to get an air-conditioning unit simply for the few weeks in the year that we can actually use it.

HOWEVER, for some bizarre reason - an electric fan never even entered the 'keep Hazel cool' equation. I wonder how a device that blows hot air around and around and around can actually keep me cool? I mean afterawhile, there will be no more perspiration to evaporate and cool me down ;-)

Would an electric fan really work to help keep me cool? Can I finally sleep for more than 4 hours in a row at night?

That's it. If this heatwave lasts beyond the weekend, I may have to voluntarily ask my DH (dear husband) to take me to Homebase. I just hope they have some stock left....

Hint hint: our wedding anniversary is coming up - gifts (especially of machines that blow out cold air) accepted.

Sleep deprivation is not a good thing

2006-07-20T20:51:00.000Z

I have done almost everything else to keep cool and am severely sleep deprived. During the day, it is almost too hot to work. I start feeling comfortable enough to work from 8/9pm at night, of course this means that I don't get to sleep till about 1 or 2 am when it is cool enough for me to fall asleep.

To compound matters - my sensitivity to light means that I am often up at the break of dawn. Since in Summer, it becomes light as early as 4.30am, this means that I have not had a good solid 8-10 hours sleep since this heatwave began. Naps during the day don't work as it is simply too hot! I have seriously contemplated the mechanics of how to not drown whilst sleeping in my bath tub filled with cool water. For those contemplating the same thing - if you have worked it out, do let me know....there could be a prize in there for you. Bearing in mind I am 5 ft 2 so won't be able to use my legs as leverage.

I do the usual, close all the windows, draw the shades, put ice in my drinks - all in a futile attempt to keep the heat out.

But desperate times call for desperate measures - it is time to add to the strain on the National Grid. No, not an air-conditioning unit - refuse to give in & buy one that will only be used a few weeks a year (if we are lucky!).

What desperate measures will she undertake to keep some semblance of sanity?

Buck Rogers

2006-07-17T21:27:00.000Z

Do you miss the good ole days of television where it was entertaining but on a very simplistic level?

No guessing who the bad guys were (slicked back hair, mustached look, furtive looks, etc.), or when there is a fight scene coming up (the cheesy music comes on) or who the good guys are (handsome, well-liked with women dripping off their arms).

We have been having our evening meals in the company of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century. I could not believe it when a fortnight ago, I came across it on the Bravo channel. Quick aside: who else admits to watching Bravo and Hallmark channels?

I LOVED the show as a kid. I must have been about 5 years old - yes, started that young but had it beaten out of me till I could rebel as an adult (hence all this tv watching but I've already written about that!). Correction, I actually started at 16 months. S'truth - my very first memory was of lying in my sarong cradle (where the baby is wrapped up in a sarong and it is hung from the ceilin). Hmmml....for those who haven't grown up in Asia, this must sound very strange indeed. I must see if I can dig up a photo of me peeking out of the cradle to watch tv.

Still remember it being a Cantonese tv serial...what was your first memory?

OK, back to Buck Rogers and the simpler days of TV watching. There was a NYTimes article about how TV watching these days actually makes you think (coz of all the plot twists, character developments, etc.) and one can actually exercise one's brain that way.

I must say that it is very refreshing to actually not have to think but just let it flow. Of course, DH says that nature, gardening or DIY programs work the same way for him.

Ah dun't tink so.

Junkie vs sell-outs

2006-07-13T22:40:00.000Z

Thank you to my friend Nadine (all the way in Australia) who reminded me of 2 new shows that I have also really enjoyed watching this season:
Criminal Minds - excellent series on FBI profilers (with some old faces from Chicago Hope in a new incarnation). Can't wait for Season 2!
Bones - great brand extension by Kathy Reichs, forensic anthropologist who has written a series of crime bestsellers. Series is based on her really but also stars ex-Buffy/Angel star, David Boreanaz. Yes, he doesn't just do broody and can actually act ;-)

Lest you think that I am just some American TV junkie, I also do read quite a bit. Actually, whilst I am on the topic of reading and brand extension, let me warn you off certain authors.

Offending authors in the fantasy/adventure genre:

Raymond E. Feist - Magician series was fantastic, even the Empire follow-up series was good. However, he started getting proposterous when even Jimmy the Hand had his own series.
David Eddings - maybe when you are like 12, the Belgariad series captivated but when 20 years later he is still trying to capitalise on that....the Elder Gods??

Don't they know when to stop? Or are there still fans out there who continue buying their books long after their best writing has stopped simply in hope that they will get better? If so - stop, then perhaps they would be forced to become creative story-tellers again.

Offending authers in the Crime Fiction genre:

John Grisham - need I say more?
Patricia Cornwall - to be fair she did try to depart from the usual with her Jack the Ripper book but then reverted to form (bowing to popular demand no doubt?!).
James Patterson - he has now even 'licensed' his name in collaboration with other authors now (eg. James Patterson and Andrew Goss - has anyone even heard of Andrew before this collaboration?)

These are authors who have (in my opinion) completely diluted their brand/name. I'm sure there are plenty more out there - so let's out them!

Interestingly enough - at the bookshop today, I came across a book based on the TV series Bones! So well done to Kathy Reichs again for another profitable spin-off/brand extension.

I have also learnt that Iain M. Banks is also a mean writer not just of Science Fiction (Player of Games being my intro to his work but certainly not the last) but also of contemporary fiction going under the name of Iain Banks (without the initial).

Blind or Deaf?

2006-07-12T20:41:00.000Z

Definitely blind. You see, I find it easier to remember people's faces than their voices (so I would rather be able to hear them than not hear them). I think the silence would just drive me mad....

Read a report a few years ago that showed that most people (over 90%) of the population would rather be deaf. Yes, I do see the irony, in light of my revelation of just how much tv I do watch. No more copious TV watching, well, I guess I can still listen/hear TV! Much like now actually where I work away on the laptop with the TV in the background. So only half watching.

I mean, does anyone really sit and watch television anymore without doing something else simultaneously? Be it folding the laundry, ironing or replying to emails.

OK, the exception may have been during the World Cup (or any other live televised sporting event). Actually even then, I found it too agonising to just sit and watch without something else to take my mind off the unfairness of things (see previous rant in Blog entry 3).

Sunrise or Sunset, Pen or Pencil?

2006-07-11T20:07:00.000Z

Remember my favourite getting-to-know-you question? (See first blog entry if you don't)

Well, I have a whole slew of getting-to-know-you-better questions.

For instance, if I have not seen you for awhile, I will ask:
''what have been your 3 most memorable events of the past year?'' or ''what are the three things you want achieve in the new year?'' (usually at Christmas/New Year parties)

Now, this tends to drive my immediate family crazy...they don't seem to introspect as much as I would like them to? ;-)

I remember when my mom, sis and I reunited in Boston for my sister's graduation about 3 years ago. Bearing in mind that outside of photos, I have not seen them for about 2 years at this stage. So whilst on the metro to visit Harvard Square, I enthusiastically asked them all my 'catch-up' questions only to be faced with sighs, rolled eyes and monosyllybic replies.

Not to worry, the story has a happy ending. When we arrived and were browsing the bookshops in Harvard Square (frequented no doubt by the great minds from Harvard University), I came across a rather slim, chic looking hardcover book entitled 'All About Me'.

Guess what? This book contained all my favourite getting-to-know-you questions and much much MORE! I was ecstatic and felt completely vindicated - I'm normal! Needless to say, the book had to be purchased.

One of the sections contain questions such as:

Sunrise or sunset (much as I like watching a sunrise, I must go with sunset - I'm more likely to be awake and simply love those glorious orangey/purplely sunsets!)

Pen or pencil (pencil - if I make a mistake, I can erase it but with a pen...)

My favourite - would you rather be blind or deaf?

Inbox bursting its seams!

2006-07-10T21:03:00.000Z

My inbox has finally reached proportions never before seen by me - 666 messages waiting to be read, replied to and action taken. Besides the fact that it is a terribly unlucky number, I usually keep the no. of messages below 100, so the pressure has been mounting for me to clear it.

I am sorely tempted to just delete them all sight unseen....so how did all those emails accumulate?

OK, looking at the types of emails:
10% people I really want to write a nice long, considered reply to
10% sales leads
80% newsletters that impart really useful information (or so I think), such as those from Harvard Business School, Wharton Business School, New York Times, Seth Godin's blog, Microsoft, Daily Candy, The Times Online, numerous start-up advice & etc.

I realised about 6 months ago that it was becoming rather obsessive, compulsive, this quest of mine, to want read everything that is out there that would (could?) vaguely enrich my life in some shape form or other.

So I ruthlessly unsubscribed to all non-essential newsletters - so why have I still so many to go through? Self-inflicted I fully admit but which ones to eliminate?

Plus I really do enjoy reading these e-newsletters.
Never mind that the marketer in me knows that e-newsletters are just ploys to ensure that their brands are top of mind, etc.
There is this other part in me that whispers insidiously - ''What if there is some vital piece of information or great business idea that I miss out on if I don't read that email?''
I mean a gal has to keep up with the latest trends in business, technology, marketing, lifestyle, right?

Oh yes, I'm not even counting the emails that I have already moved into the 'to read later' folder. Will my folders ever be empty?

How many emails do YOU have in your inbox at the moment?

My little teashop

2006-07-07T15:26:00.000Z

To continue the story of why I started up in tea, specialising in flowering teas...

I actually wanted to open a little zen teashop (expanding eventually to a chain). A nice airy light environment where people can just come and be in touch with themselves. It would be serene and we can just take time out to commune with each other. An extensive selection of teas would be offered with little Chinese tidbits as accompaniment.
However, starting that up would involve too much capital so I decided to start off with something less ambitious. If you are ever in San Francisco, though, they have 3 terrific teahouses that have the same vision.

Don't you think that we rush around too much? We plonk a tea bag into a mug and dash back to the PC. How often do we allow ourselves to just sit, relax & get in touch with ourselves? When was the last time we sat down and really connected with our friends/family?

I'm hoping that people would slow down, take time out to smell the roses and enjoy each other's company. The visual beauty of the flower teas and the aroma would hopefully set the scene.

Do you feel the same way I do about us rushing about too much?

My first encounter with flower teas

2006-07-06T14:17:00.000Z

So why did I start up in business? Why green teas? How could I possibly hope to compete with the likes of Twinnings?

The story begins about 4 years ago, on a trip back to Singapore to visit my family (I have about 9 uncles & aunts on my mother's side alone). My uncle having just got back from a business trip to China, was really excited about some tea he wanted to show us. We all pooh-poohed it 'hey, we are Chinese, we know all about teas'.

Little did I know what a treat I was in for....After dinner, a tray with Chinese tea pot and little cups was (rather ceremoniously) brought out. A little walnut sized ball placed in the tea pot, hot water added (not boiling as that scalds the tea) and before you know it, it had unfurled to reveal a flower on the inside!

Now I thought to myself - this is great and would make a great present. I can't believe I lived to the age of 27 and didn't even know this existed. What a well kept secret!

Fast forward to the present. Remember a period a few months ago, where there was a news item almost every day about the benefits of drinking green tea.

Now, I drink lots of the stuff (less caffeine, thirst quenching). However, when I came over to the UK, I just could not find good quality green tea! The tea bag stuff sold in normal supermarkets is pretty rough and tasteless. Bought some Japanese stuff but it was bitter and very expensive. The only remotely authentic Chinese green tea I could find was in Chinatown.

I thought 'if I have this need, then there must be others out there who also want good quality green tea!' Plus I hadn't seen these flower teas anywhere either. The seed was thus planted.

An Avid Reader

2006-07-05T18:39:00.000Z

Does Hazel do anything else besides watching TV?
Where does she find the time to watch ALL that TV plus set up her gift/tea business China's Secret (www.chinasecret.co.uk)?

Well, I also read a lot. So much so that DH (dear husband) started complaining about all these books that clutter up the house. We have lots of bookshelves ;-)
After pretty much single-handedly boosting Amazon's shareprice/sales revenue, I discovered that I could regain some monies by selling the books through the same platform. As I take very good care of the books they remain in a pristine condition.

My sister and I have been known to ban friends from borrowing our books due to their careless treatment of them! We were in tears when my good friend (despite warnings!) completely thrased our copy of Lord of the Rings. This is after I carefully finished the omnibus with only one crease in the spine. OK, enough of my OCD behaviour.

Now I have discovered an even better system of getting rid of those books that remain unsold through Amazon (mostly bestsellers and new releases sell quickly). Anything to please DH! I now swap books through Readitswapit.

Fantastic system that allows you to list all the books that you don't want anymore. When people want a book of yours, you get notification and can then view their book list. If you see a book you want to read, you agree to the swap! Both parties then post their books with only P&P incurred. What a cheap way of getting new books!

In the first 2 months of my discovery, I realised that I spent about 100 pounds at the post office! Anyhow, I have discovered and read the entire works of 2 new crime authors (Harlen Coben & Michael Connelly) through swapping. I have encouraged the website owners to extend the system to CDs and DVDs as well!

World Cup Lesson

2006-07-04T18:09:00.000Z

No, it's not a post about the off-side rule ;-)

I can't seem to watch the final stage matches of World Cup 2006 without my laptop to distract me....you see, I get really quite worked up when I watch the games.

I get so angry when cheating behaviour goes unpunished and even gets rewarded! I can now understand why referees get hate mail. So what can I do as a follower/supporter of the Beautiful Game? I feel so helpless.
I want to write to FIFA to complain about the inconsistent behaviour by their referees. The system just doesn't appear to work.

But, do they even care that my enjoyment of the game is disrupted by the constant diving/falling behaviour of certain players in certain teams? Why haven't FIFA cracked down on what British commentators very nicely call - footballers' antics. I call it cheating!

Is it just a strategy adopted to frustrate and disrupt the game and concentration of the opposing team? Should we just live with it?

When I try to understand why I get so riled up, I realise that I am not actually angry about the football injustices but with life itself.

Life can be unfair and sometimes we can't do a single thing about it.

I want life to be fair, people to just be decent to one another. I know this is idealistic (some would say naive) but most times I delude myself into believing that 'life is fair'. Watching football just brings it all home though - life like football can be unfair. Talented footballers who don't have to cheat do so anyway, just to get an edge over their opponents. The manifestation of ugly human nature.

Or am I just over-analysing things? ;-)

Is that an American accent?

2006-07-03T17:39:00.000Z

So where am I from?

Good question. Grew up in Singapore, spent young adulthood in Sydney, Australia (Eastern suburbs) and about 6 years in the UK. So don't really know where I am from anymore.

Aussies can still hear the Aussie in me. I also get asked 'Are you an American?' quite a bit. This is probably due to the fact that I watch A LOT of TV!

I am currently watching:
Stargate SG1, Law & Order (including all the spin-offs), CSI, House, NCIS, Without a Trace, ER, Chicago Hope, Roswell, Buffy, Angel, Everybody Loves Raymond, Frasier, LOST, Desperate Housewives, Entourage, My Name is Earl.

Shows I have pretty much seen every episode of:
Seinfeld - was gutted when tickets to his farewell Aussie tour sold out in 5 mins!
Sex & the City - own entire series on DVD!

Grew up watching:
Star Trek (I love Spock!), Growing Pains, Family Ties (remember the young Michael J. Fox?), Cosby Show, LA Law, Happy Days, Smurfs (I love the little blue folk!).

Let's just say that I'm contemplating cancelling my subscription to Sky coz increasingly, despite the over 900 channels that we have, there isn't a program that we haven't seen at least once. Some episodes of the Simpsons we have seen at least 3 times! Sad.

Anyone else have the same experience? What are your favourite American TV shows? Does anyone watch as much TV as I?

Three Characteristics

2006-07-02T17:05:00.000Z

How would you describe yourself in 3 Words/Characteristics?

This is my favourite getting-to-know-you question. As my French in-laws, friends and dinner party guests can attest! So be warned ;-)Most times people don't remember to turn the tables & to ask me to answer it myself....

However, to break the ice, here goes:

The 3 characteristics that best sum Hazel up:

Warm/Friendly
Emphathetic
Trusting

Now my next favourite question (for those closer to me) is:
What are your top 3 positive characteristics?
What are your top 3 negative characteristics?

Could that be why no one comes to my dinner parties anymore?

I don't mean to be intrusive but am just naturally curious and interested in people. In Australia (I lived for 9 years in Sydney) people tend to be more open and since coming to England (have lived here for the past 6 years) I am learning to tone it down so as to not offend.

Anyhow, what is your favourite getting-to-know-you question?